As Mike eagerly awaited our old friends and five new friends in Christ we get a phone call from Maida. Our 94 year old friend Lyla was going home to heaven soon. So we put this to prayer trying to see how we could go see her soon. Well the reason I share this story is because this team from Antioch Baptist Church brings with them each year compassion and flexibility. They arrived once again ready to serve God in whatever capacity He provides for them. As we were traveling through the mountains of Honduras Mike and I asked if we could stop by Lyla's home on the way in to say our good-byes. Of course their answer was yes. But this particular day was 98 plus degrees. So we asked them if they would walk with us up to her house and gather around her home and pray for her while Mike Maida and I say our good byes. This is exactly what they did. As we prepared to leave Mike brought the team inside to pray along side of us for Lyla and her life here and her life with Jesus. Right now as I type Lyla is still with us here on this earth but hopefully soon she will be in the arms of Jesus where she will no longer be hungry or hurting. Thank you Antioch Baptist Church for being my God moment on your first day of arrival.
We got to the mission house and they started their week of preparation. This team brings in bibles, tracks, evagi cubes, crosses and numerous activities for VBS each day. They came prepared with the materials labeled in their luggage. I asked Pastor Joey how long does this preparation back home take to get to this point of the mission trip. He shared they start about eight weeks out meeting and praying and planning for their five day visit here in Honduras. He spends time with each one preparing how to effectively using the evangi cube. This is a well greased evangelism team once they arrive. But there is something most impressive about all of this, GOD gets all the glory for all the details big and small on this team.
Stacy, Pastor Joey's wife always does the first night devotion and this year she did an amazing job. She shared the scripture of Paul and Silas in prison and how they took their difficult circumstances and brought the prison guard and his entire family to the Lord. We did an exercise before hearing the bible story. Stacy asked us "Where were you born?" We all answered. She shared this is an earthly beginning. But what about your Eternal Beginning. "What must I do to be saved?" This is the most important question of your life. Like the jailer and his family, Paul and Silas took a situation not so pleasant and appealing and brought glory to God out of it. They took this negative situation and made it a positive one and a whole family received Christ as their Lord and Savior. Stacy challenged the team this week to go be Paul and Silas and no matter where God puts us to bring glory to God and bring the lost to Christ.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. Acts 16:25-34
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